Biaxial compression behaviour of different aggregate graded concrete

Abstract

An experimental study on the deformation and strength of three kinds of aggregate graded concrete specimens under biaxial compression was carried out. Tests were conducted on cubes of 250 × 250 × 250 mm fabricated with dam concrete (maximum aggregate of 80 mm), 150 × 150 × 150 mm cubes and 100 × 100 × 100 mm cubes which were made with the wet-screened components of dam concrete. The stresses and strains at the biaxial loading direction and the lateral deformations at the free direction were all recorded for all of the specimens during the tests. Based on the test data, the change rule of the biaxial compressive stress, ultimate deformation, stress–strain and the failure patterns were studied systematically. Test results indicate that the enhancement effect of the compressive strength and deformation of the mass concrete under biaxial compression become stronger than in the wet-screened specimens. A failure criterion of different graded concrete under biaxial compression was established and it provided effective references for the design and safety evaluation of the massive hydraulic structures in which the multiaxial strength of the concrete must be taken into consideration.